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Gazing, Blinking, Winking, or Staring on Answer Choice

Allowing a student with expressive language support needs and/or a significant cognitive disability to use an eye movement to choose the correct answer.

 

Allowable on at least one state assessment Allowable on state assessment: This accommodation is allowable on at least one state assessment. See which tests allow this accommodation

Assistive Technology

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Examples Include:

  • Gazing toward the correct answer.

  • Blinking when the correct answer is presented.

  • Winking when the correct answer is presented.

  • Staring toward the correct answer.

How to Implement:

  • 1.

    Plan how to show the answer choices to the student such as with text, icons, objects, textural/sensory materials, or another way, and prepare materials

    Plan how to show the answer choices to the student such as with text, icons, objects, textural/sensory materials, or another way, and prepare materials for each answer choice, if needed.

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  • 2.

    Decide how the student will use their eyes to signal the location or presence of the correct answer—gazing, winking, blinking, fixating, or another way.

    Decide how the student will use their eyes to signal the location or presence of the correct answer—gazing, winking, blinking, fixating, or another way.

  • 3.

    Use the student’s IEP to determine the best way to prompt the student and how to adjust your prompting, as needed.

    Use the student’s IEP to determine the best way to prompt the student and how to adjust your prompting, as needed.

  • 4.

    Show the student the field of answer choices or present answer choices one at a time.

    Show the student the field of answer choices or present answer choices one at a time.

  • 5.

    Wait at least five seconds for the student to respond.

    Wait at least five seconds for the student to respond.

  • 6.

    Monitor and record the level of your prompting, the accuracy of the student's responses, and the student's engagement to judge instructional effectiveness.

    Monitor and record the level of your prompting, the accuracy of the student's responses, and the student's engagement to judge instructional effectiveness.

  • 7.

    Share progress and effectiveness with the student, the educational team, and the family.

    Share progress and effectiveness with the student, the educational team, and the family.

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Note: Review STAAR Alternate 2 Test Administrator Manual for presentation instructions during test administration.

State Assessment
Allowability

Some accommodations appropriate for instructional use may not be allowable on a statewide assessment. Select the state assessment to view the implementation policies.

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STAAR Alternate 2 + –

May be used as a form of visual response if the accommodation is documented in the student's IEP and follows these guidelines:

  • maintain the integrity of the assessment,

  • avoid leading to or providing the student a direct answer,

  • be used routinely in instruction,

  • reflect the student’s learning styles, and

  • allow a student to respond using a mode that is appropriate for the student.